Complaints about my garden - am I required by law to keep it tidy?

donmaico

sunshinetours wrote: »

No he chose not to do anything for a year, there is a difference that as I say some seem to miss. As I said originally many seem to want to know their rights but not accept any responsibility these days, and this is a form (albeit pretty minor) of anti scoial behaviour purely because of laziness - nothing else. The situation with the neighbour would not have arisen if he had at least made an attempt to maintain his property.

"I live in a semi detached house and in the past year or so, due to work commitments abroad, I've not been able to keep my garden tidy. The grass hasnt been cut in over a year"
that does NOT read as laziness to me, more like far too busy working abroad. Either way its not for us to judge! I have seen derelict houses lying empty with gardens unkept.An eyesore for sure , but what of it. Someones garden may be untidy but its their business.Antisocial behaviour would only come into being if he bred vermin like rats or if he had trees and bushes that heavily encroached onto his neighbour's.Even then it would be up to them to prune them.It would be the same if someone chose not to paint the front of their house or painted the walls purple and lilac.I know someone who did that out of spite because a few of her neighbours kept complaining about her property

sunshinetours

donmaico wrote: »

"I live in a semi detached house and in the past year or so, due to work commitments abroad, I've not been able to keep my garden tidy. The grass hasnt been cut in over a year"
that does NOT read as laziness to me, more like far too busy working abroad. Either way its not for us to judge! I have seen derelict houses lying empty with gardens unkept.An eyesore for sure , but what of it. Someones garden may be untidy but its their business.Antisocial behaviour would only come into being if he bred vermin like rats or if he had trees and bushes that heavily encroached onto his neighbour's.Even then it would be up to them to prune them.It would be the same if someone chose not to paint the front of their house or painted the walls purple and lilac.I know someone who did that out of spite because a few of her neighbours kept complaining about her property

I can see we will never agree which is fine.

Derelict houses now can be "seized" by the local councils in extreme cases if the houses are left derelict and unmaintained for a number of years. Google "Empty homes strategy" to find out more.
Appreciate that isn't the case here but shows what local councils desperate for housing stock may look at if things like hugely overgrown gardens get reported by p***ed off neighbours for example.

A quick ohione call via yellow pages for a local garddener to spend a n hour a couple of times a year to keep the grass at least below knee height wouldn't have been too difficult or costly, so again, it was the OP's choice not to maintain his property.....

donmaico

sunshinetours wrote: »

I can see we will never agree which is fine.

Derelict houses now can be "seized" by the local councils in extreme cases if the houses are left derelict and unmaintained for a number of years. Google "Empty homes strategy" to find out more.
Appreciate that isn't the case here but shows what local councils desperate for housing stock may look at if things like hugely overgrown gardens get reported by p***ed off neighbours for example.

A quick ohione call via yellow pages for a local garddener to spend a n hour a couple of times a year to keep the grass at least below knee height wouldn't have been too difficult or costly, so again, it was the OP's choice not to maintain his property.....

of course i completely support the councils action in that case .What i object to is neighbours thinking they can go and harrangue ,harrass and threaten some guy because of his untidy garden bearing in mind he has been away abroad for a year.People need to learn how to approach others and not just assume they are just lazy or doing things to annoy them.Its called being civil.Nimbys are nothing more than urban bullies trying to impose on others their views on how a neighbourhood should look like

kazwookie

No idea about the legal stuff.

But just look in your local paper, and get some one in to cut the grass twice a month in the summer, pay them via internet banking, on production of a photo email to you to prove the job is done.